Temperature Control

First unplug the refrigerator!

Removed the top shelf of the refrigerator. Pulled off the knobs from the temp slider controls. Popped the cover off of the light and temp control section. This Hotpoint model has both
thermostat and defrost timer easily accessible in the refrigerator compartment. Used a socket set
driver to loosen the screws and remove the
temp control section and unplugged the wire connectors. This freed the whole temp control
section. On the workbench removed the old
thermostat by unscrewing the screws with a socket driver. Unplugged the wires from the old thermostat then put the new one in. Then put the
new one in the same holes, reconnected the
wires and reassembled the everything. Then
simply put this temp control box back in the
original place (and reconnect the wire plugs)
and put the screws back in . The hardest part is re-aligning the holes and the control levers, but this is not too bad.

Plugged it back in and so far it has been turning
on and off normally. (The old thermostat contacts
were oxidized so I think this was the problem).

1. Unplug, remove control knob from both temp control sliders, remove upper light bulb and light shield from refrigerator compartment. 2. Remove screw holding top of bracket control mod in place. 3. Lift bottom tab from slot and remove control mod from ref compartment. 3. Unplug temperature control and defrost timer and replace. (Each are held in place with two screws.) 4. Replace control mod. This part took me the longest because the space between the top of the control mod and the top of the ref. compartment is very small and replacing the nut was difficult. Use a nut driver with a long shaft. 5. Use screw driver to turn control button of defrost timer to start cycle. 6. Replace bulb cover and light bulb. 7. Set temp control to initial setting. 8. Have a Margarita and celebrate. It's been over a week and the refrigerator/freezer is working perfectly.